Mbito Kibicho

Solar energy pioneer bringing affordable power to 10 million Africans through M-KOPA

Innovation Leader

Mbito Kibicho (born 1985) co-founded Kenya's M-KOPA Solar in 2012, a revolutionary pay-as-you-go solar energy system. This venture has provided clean electricity to over 10 million people across Africa, replacing kerosene lamps that caused 600,000 annual deaths from indoor pollution.

Business Model

Kibicho's model combines mobile payments with micro-installations, allowing families to pay $0.50 daily for solar systems costing $200. This approach won the MIT Climate CoLab Prize and inspired similar programs in India and Bangladesh. By 2020, M-KOPA had saved customers $1.2 billion in energy costs.

Global Impact

His work reduces CO2 emissions by 1.8 million tons annually - equivalent to taking 390,000 cars off roads. Kibicho's TEDx talk Lighting Africa One Home at a Time has 1.5 million views. He advises the World Bank's Lighting Global initiative and co-authored this seminal paper on decentralized energy systems.

Future Vision

Kibicho is developing AI-driven energy grids and battery storage solutions. His 2023 GreenBiz interview outlines plans to connect 50 million households by 2030. M-KOPA's success inspired similar ventures like Off-Grid Electric in Tanzania.